Washing Away the Tears
by starryshimmer
Summary: CHAPTER 12 UP! Kagome finds a job as the maid of the arrogant prince Inuyasha. When there is a rumor about a dark secret surrounding his past, Kagome is determined to uncover it. But is she ready for the possible consequences? InuKag MirSan
1. Disowned

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha...

AN: This is my very first fanfic, so please review and tell me what you think!

* * *

Disowned 

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_'Get out. You're not worth our money.' _

The harsh command still rung fresh in her mind.

Wandering almost drunkenly in the town streets, Kagome was very much aware of the many disapproving stares she was earning from walking passerby. She clenched her fists to maintain her anger from exploding.

It was enough that her parents had been killed by Naraku years ago, and that she had been thrown out of her foster home because a slight famine had come across, but the looks these people were giving her! It was like she was some indecent speck of dirt polluting the air around her just by breathing.

Kagome snorted with bitter laughter to herself. These strangers would never understand what levels of hell she had been through.

After walking for quite a while, Kagome had to stop and icily ask herself, _'Now what?' _She forced the full truth on herself. She had no family, no friends... and now, no home... She was only a penniless seventeen year old! Sighing, Kagome knew the only answer was getting a job.

_'Hmmm... Let's see... A seventeen year old girl with no family, no career experience, looking as if she just got off the streets...' _Kagome had to sigh. _'Wouldn't everyone just love to hire me!' _she thought sarcastically. _'Well it's not my fault...'_

"But I _do _have to get a job soon..." Kagome unconsciously muttered out loud, thinking. "Or else I'll really be on the streets..." A girl who was picking out some vegetables in front of a nearby store looked up; she'd obviously heard Kagome's mutterings.

"You need a job?"

Kagome whirled around. A hand over her heart, she thought, _'Oh great, now I'm getting paranoid. Well, luck really hasn't been smiling down on me.'_

Kagome glanced at the speaker. It was a girl about her age, with long dark hair that was casually set back in a ponytail. She had dark brown eyes, and was dressed plainly in a white tee shirt and denim jeans.

"Yes," Kagome replied uncertainly to the girl's earlier question. She did not know that she had spoken out loud about her need of a job, and therefore it creeped her out as she had no idea how this strange girl knew about it.

"Well," the girl said brightly, "there's a job opening at the palace. Oh, and by the way, I'm Sango, Lady Ayame's maid."

"Kagome," Kagome introduced herself. Then, "At the p-palace?"

Sango nodded. "Prince Inuyasha is hiring a personal maid."

"Prince Inuyasha?" Kagome exclaimed disbelievingly. _'Well, the girl _did_ say she was Lady Ayame's maid... And Lady Ayame is Inuyasha's mother...'_

"Yup," Sango answered, smiling at Kagome's reaction. "There's a huge line of girls outside of the sitting room in the palace. It was so stuffy in the halls. I just had to get out." Sango shook her head, wrinkling her nose disapprovingly. "So I decided to get some fresh air by coming out here and meanwhile help the cook with her shopping."

Kagome could just imagine the number of girls lining up for a chance to become Inuyasha's maid. Although she had never met him before, Kagome had heard of the prince. And she had yet to hear from a female who didn't like him. _'He must be really hot,' _Kagome thought. _'Maybe I should try out for this job,' _Kagome smiled uncertainly. _'Although I probably wouldn't get it... I've always wanted to see this Inuyasha for myself, and just what is so great about him... Trying can't hurt, can it?'_

Sango suddenly spoke up, breaking Kagome's train of thought. "Hey, er... Kagome?"

Kagome looked up surprised; obviously she had forgotten about Sango being there in the midst of her daydreaming. "Yeah?"

"Is that a 'yes' as in you'll try the job?" Sango asked.

"I guess so," Kagome replied. "There's a first time for everything, including working at a palace, I guess."

"Great!" Sango smiled. "Come on, I'll pay for these, then you can come with me to the palace!" she gestured at the carrots she was carrying.

* * *

Inuyasha looked at the crowd of girls cramming up the entire hall leading up to the sitting room. The girls noticed his attention, and flashed him suggestive smiles, or blushed furiously. Inuyasha graced them with a seductive grin of his own. But inwardly he sighed, as a couple of girls fainted to the ground. 

"Quite a show, eh?"

Inuyasha turned around to find his friend looking dreamily at the line of girls, some of them blowing him kisses.

"Care to explain?" Inuyasha growled.

The man snapped out of his trance. "Eh?"

Inuyasha scowled. "Miroku, what the hell are all these girls doing here?"

"Your mother arranged for you to hire a personal maid," Miroku smirked at the prince. "So those girls would be here for that job opening."

"Feh," Inuyasha snorted. "I don't need a fucking maid."

Miroku looked taken aback. "What's not to like about having a personal maid? Personally, I wouldn't mind."

Inuyasha looked at Miroku. "That's 'cause you're a fucking pervert, houshi!"

Miroku looked hurt. "Oh, like you aren't," he muttered.

"Not half as much, anyway," Inuyasha grumbled at Miroku's triumphant look. "Tell the girls I'll be interviewing them in my room upstairs."

Miroku smirked.

"What now?" Inuyasha growled. Seeing Miroku's look, he said, "Oh for - Can you fucking think of nothing else?" Scowling, he left, giving up.

* * *

"Here we are," Sango said. 

Kagome looked up at the most beautiful building she had ever laid eyes upon. Majestic white marble walls carpeted the towers and stories of the palace. Gold rimmed every window frame. And above all, there was the enchanting display of roses and orchids gracing the courtyard, marked by a water fountain carved in the likeness of a budding lotus.

"It's beautiful," Kagome breathed. It truly was.

Sango smirked at the girl, who was drooling at the sight of the palace. "Er... Kagome, we can go in, any moment now..." Kagome snapped out of her trance, noticing that she had been staring in awe at the palace for a full five minutes. Smiling childishly, Kagome scampered behind Sango to the gate.

Two armored sentries guarded the pathway, glowering at the two girls who walked up to them.

"ID," one of the guards demanded, with a surprisingly low voice. Sango tugged a plastic card out of her jean pocket and handed it to the guard exasperatingly. She knew the guard recognized her, but still wouldn't let her in without a card because of 'security purposes.'

"You can go," the guard mumbled. "Is this your guest?" he pointed rudely at Kagome.

"Yes," Sango replied. She beckoned for Kagome to follow her through the gate.

Kagome soon found herself walking in the palace courtyard alongside Sango. She could smell the freshness of the air, captured by the many flowers and trees growing in the place.

Sango brought Kagome to the halls of the palace, telling her, "I have to go give the cook her vegetables. See that line over there?" Sango pointed to the crowd of girls leading up to the stairs.

"How could I not?" Kagome sighed, suddenly weary. She had remembered how much she needed a well paying job like this one, but also how much she couldn't possibly get it.

"Okay, good. Good luck!" Sango told her. "And, try, okay? It gets really boring sometimes around here, with no one but the cook to talk to." She didn't mention Miroku. "It'd be really nice if you could get the job and stay here."

Kagome smiled in reply. At least she wasn't the only one in need of a friend. She turned around to face the line up as Sango walked away. 'Urgh... This is gonna be a loooonnngggg wait.'

* * *

"Hi, I'm Rin!" the cheery faced girl introduced. Inuyasha winced. It bothered him when people were so damn... cheery. 

Inuyasha proceeded with the interview. "So, why do you want this job?" The girl looked mildly surprised at his abrupt question. _'Hell, I've never interviewed anyone before, how am I supposed to know what to ask?'_

Rin blushed for a moment, for reasons oblivious to Inuyasha. "Um..."

Inuyasha sighed. It was obviously another one of those fangirls who had a crush on him...

"Never mind," he said. "You can go." The girl faltered for moment, the smile wiped off her face. Then, very slowly, she got up and left. Inuyasha growled. It wasn't his fault if she was at a loss for words. And she didn't seem to have much spirit either... didn't even need any pushing to leave.

The door opened and the next girl came in. Inuyasha graced her with a glance. The girl was tall and had long black hair. She was wearing a revealing tank top and a mini skirt. Inuyasha managed a grin. _'She's gorgeous,' _he realized.

"I'm Kagura," the girl said, walking towards Inuyasha.

"Let's start the interview, then," Inuyasha replied. His eyes widened a bit as he realized the Kagura girl had closed up the distance between them and was making for his lap.

"I couldn't hear you over there," Kagura explained innocently. Inuyasha gave her a grin. Now he was getting somewhere...

"So, why do you want this job?" Inuyasha inquired, as he'd done with every other girl. He wondered suddenly if this girl would end up in a fit of blushing.

"Job?" Kagura murmured. " I came for you, honey." She placed a hand on his neck, tracing her finger down to his chest.

* * *

Kagome sighed in impatience. She had been waiting in line for about two hours now... Suddenly, she heard Inuyasha's room quiet down considerable. 'Is he done with that girl, then? Is it my turn?' she wondered. She could have no idea. All the girls so far had walked into Inuyasha's room and left it through a different door, possibly through the bathroom. The hall had been so crowded that it wasn't possible for the girls to come back out through the same door. 

'Guess it's my turn, then,' thought Kagome. Inuyasha's room was really quiet now. Kagome opened the door, and introduced herself. "I'm Higurashi Kagome," she said politely. Immediately her face flushed as she saw the scene before her.

The white haired man she supposed was Inuyasha, was sitting down on the couch, a girl on top of him, and they were making out.

"I'm sorry!" Kagome shouted, and turned to leave.

"WAIT!" came Inuyasha's loud roar. He had unattached himself from Kagura, and was glaring at the newcomer. How dare she come into his room while he was _busy_! He could feel his face heating up in embarrassment. The girl who had just come in turned around to face him.

Inuyasha gaped. The girl's pants were ripped at the ends, and she had dirt and dust smeared across her clothes and face.

"What the hell?" he muttered. _'How could this girl have been let in the palace looking like this?'_

"I'm sorry," Kagome muttered again, as Inuyasha glared at her. Kagome was suddenly very well aware of her appearance. Quickly rubbing the dirt from her face, she looked again at Inuyasha, apologetically. She knew it was an offense to look at royalty with your face dirty.

Inuyasha gaped. "KIKYO?" his voice blared through the silence of the room.

Kagome was now confused. "Kikyo? I'm Kagome. Kagome Higurashi."

Inuyasha gradually relaxed. Kagome... Her name was Kagome...

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Is the story okay so far? PLEASE R&R! I love you all! 


	2. The Decision

AN: Just to clear things up, Lady Ayame is Inuyasha's mother, the queen.

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The Decision

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Inuyasha felt some of the tension leave his body. _'She's not Kikyo...' _he thought, though still having some doubts. She sure looked like a complete replica to him...

He truly looked at the girl before him now. She was medium height, a little shorter than Kikyo had been. Her long hair was raven black and was left unbound, while Kikyo always pinned it together businesslike in a ponytail. She had hazel brown eyes and a pale complexion. When Inuyasha saw her dust covered clothes, he smirked.

If anything, this would set the difference between Kikyo and this girl. The world would come to an end before Kikyo ever allowed herself to be seen like THAT.

"Er... you can plan on stopping the staring any time now," Kagome said uneasily, seeing as the prince had been glaring at her for more than a while now. _'Well I suppose since he's the prince he can do whatever he wants... but stil...'_

Kagome watched as Inuyasha said, "Oh, whatever. Like I'd stare at an ugly bitch like you," without the faintest of emotions rippling his calm expression.

_'He has no decency at all!' _Kagome thought angrily to herself, unable to contain the surge of rage in her self defense.

"Kagura, you can leave now," Inuyasha added, not even sparing a glance her way. The said girl looked warily at the prince before huffily walking out of the room, her high heeled shoes clicking the tiled floor ominously.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. Looking at Inuyasha, she suddenly consciously realized for the first time that he had long silver-white hair. His eyes were golden orbs, and his ears were... furry!

_'He's a hanyou...' _Kagome thought. _'A half-demon.'_

"Okay, on with the interview, then," Inuyasha decided. He watched the Kikyo look alike carefully. Kagome had immediately begun nervously fidgeting with the edge of her shirt. Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk.

"Why do you want this job?" he asked his signature question of the day.

Kagome looked up, surprised. She had expected a much more formal question, interrogating about past career experiences and such.

Taking a shaky breath, she replied, "Well, I actually need it more than I want it. You see, I really need the financial support and the living accomodations..." Inuyasha was eyeing her with a triumphant look.

"You have never had a job interview before, have you?" he asked her seriously.

"Um... no?" Kagome answered. "Is it that obvious?"

"You're always supposed to agree with what the interviewer asks if you're aiming to get the job," Inuyasha muttered, exasperated. "Unless you're playing for sympathy points, you'd never accomplish anything the way you answered my question."

Kagome frowned. Had she become so low as to take advice from a sad excuse for a prince? Looking at her own dirty clothes, she grimaced. "What would be the right way to answer your question then?" she forced out, her voice strained.

Inuyasha grinned ignorantly. "Well this is how a couple of girls did it," he grinned. Taking on a ridiculous expression and slinging a hand to his forehead, he feigned a high-pitched voice, "Oh, Inuyasha! I want this job because you're so irresistably sexy and hot! I would do anything to be with you! Any-" He had finally burst into a fit of laughing, upon seeing Kagome's disgusted face.

Kagome rolled her eyes. Had she ever seen a person so full of themself? "You'll go to hell twice before you see me do that," she snapped. "Thanks for the advice, though," she forced out moment later, remembering she was in the presence of the prince. _Some_ prince...

Inuyasha straightened his posture and fought to stop the laughing, but Kagome could see his hands trembling. "You can go to hell first, bitch," he responded.

"You know, I don't think you could pass for royalty," Kagome taunted. "You are the rudest person I've ever met."

"Are you stupid? I AM royalty," Inuyasha scowled. "Ya know, a prince? And speaking of rude, I would never hire some ugly cow who talks back to be my maid. It'd be torture to have to see your face every day. I'd have nightmares." He pretended to shiver.

Kagome took it personally. "You are such an impossible JERK!" she protested. With that, she stormed out of the room.

Inuyasha lifted an eyebrow. Shrugging, he went back to his spot on the couch.

"Next!" he called.

His door opened and a girl walked in. Inuyasha stared. The girl wasn't incredibly beautiful or spectacular, but he found that it was hard to keep his eyes off of her. She seemed to be almost hypnotic...

Her face was paper white, and her hair was dark. But what had captured his attention most was her expression.

Totally emotionless...

* * *

Sango wiped her forehead. She had just escaped from the old cook, who could think of nothing better to do all day than gossip. _'I wonder if Kagome is still in line?' _she thought to herself. The line had seemed incredibly long. 

Sango decided to go check. From a distance, she saw a girl storming toward her end of the hall. _'Inuyasha knows how to piss people off,' _Sango thought to herself, shaking her head. _'Poor girl, must've had her heart broken.'_

"Sango!" Kagome called, momentarily pausing the steam billowing from her ears. Sango looked up.

The 'poor girl' was Kagome.

"Hey," Sango replied. "How'd it go?" Although she could probably guess the answer. _'Not too well,' _Sango thought.

"Well, I finally met the guy who all the girls are swooning over," Kagome said, trying to keep on the positive side.

"And?" Sango prodded.

"He is the biggest egotistic jerk I have ever laid eyes upon," Kagome said cheerfully.

Sango smiled. Trust Kagome to be all cheery while saying something like that.

Then she asked, "What about the job?"

Kagome's expression fell a little. "Well, I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna get this one," she sighed. "The prince made a point in saying that he'd never hire me. But that also means I'll have nowhere to stay..."

Sango brightened up. "You could stay here at the palace for a while," she said. "I'll just say that you're an old friend who's visiting. You'll be able to stay here for a month at most, though."

"Really?" Kagome exclaimed. She wouldn't have to live on the streets yet. "Thanks so much, Sango!" She gave the maid a quick hug.

"You wanna go see your room, then?" Sango offered. "There's a guest room next to mine, so I guess you could stay there." Kagome nodded, and followed her down the hall.

* * *

Kagome sighed. The room was perfect. It was just the right size, and had a very comfortable looking bed. All the furniture looked new, and everything was in place. 

"This is great!" Kagome squealed, jumping onto the bed and earning a roll of the eyes from Sango.

Kagome watched with sudden amusement as a young man dressed in a priest uniform entered the room and crept up behind Sango. His hand wandered a little too close to Sango's rear end. Kagome saw Sango's eyebrows twitch dangerously.

"HENTAI!" could be heard echoing throughout the hall. The servants shook their heads, all knowing that Miroku had done it again.

::smack::

"Sango, I'm hurt!" whined the priest from behind Sango.

"You deserve it, pervert," Sango muttered, her cheeks just a little on the red side.

"Aren't you a priest?" Kagome pointed out.

"The name's Miroku Priest," the young man introduced jumping towards Kagome and kissing her hand. "Will you bear my child?"

To Kagome's embarrassment, she blushed.

"Miroku...," Sango said warningly. "Don't harass Kagome. She's already taken by Inuyasha anyway." Upon hearing this Kagome turned a brilliant burgundy, and shot Sango a glare of death. _'Trust Sango to joke in such a cruel way...' _Sango winked at Kagome.

When Miroku still didn't let go of Kagome's hand, Sango started to shoot him dangerous looks. Finally, he gave up and dropped it.

"Yeah, he's a priest," Sango said wearily. "A perverted one, mind. I don't think he could pass for a real priest, though."

Miroku smirked. "Sango wants me so badly that she won't let me become a priest," he said.

"You wish," Sango said, although her face had turned pink, much to Kagome's surprise.

"Anyway," Miroku said, "I just came to tell you that Lady Ayame decided to make Inuyasha pick five girls out of all the ones that came for the interview today. He's gonna eat dinner with them. Then he has to choose which one of the five girls get to be his maid."

"Picky, isn't he?" Kagome said with raised eyebrows.

"Oh yeah, and Kagome is among the five girls Inuyasha chose," Miroku added. Both Kagome and Sango looked at Miroku with wide eyes.

"WHAT?" Kagome screeched, causing Miroku to cover his ears in pain.

"Geez, calm down!" Miroku complained.

"I still got chosen even after telling his majesty the prince to go to hell?" Kagome said, laughing. "I don't think that has never been done before!"

Sango congratulated, "This is great, Kagome! You have a chance at getting the job again!"

"Yeah..." Kagome wondered. "What am I gonna wear to dinner?" she looked at the ragged clothes she was wearing.

"Eager to please, huh?" Miroku grinned.

"Well, I'll literally be on the streets if I don't get this job," Kagome said seriously.

"Oh..."

Sango was rummaging through her enormous wardrobe. She tugged out a formal evening gown.

"This is perfect!" she exclaimed. Bringing it to Kagome, she asked, "What do you think?"

Kagome stared at the dress in wonder. It was made of a light blue silk, starting in a halter top and ending in the ankle area.

"It's beautiful," Kagome breathed. Her family had never had the money to afford anything this elegant. "But I think I'll take a shower first, before I try it on," she said dryly. Sango saw Kagome's dirt covered appearance and agreed.

"It's too..." Miroku's voice suddenly said. Both girls stared at him. They had completely forgotten about him being there. "It's too plain," Miroku finished.

"Like you give a damn," Sango muttered. "You're just upset 'cause it covers everthing important to you."

"Dearest Sango," Miroku said, inching towards her, "You're the only one who can wound my heart so deeply with your words."

::smack::

"Don't put your dirty hand there!" Sango shouted, slapping Miroku's hand away from her butt.

Kagome shook her head, watching them.

* * *

"You look great, Kagome!" Sango complimented. Kagome looked into the long mirror to check. Her hair had been tied up in a high ponytail by Sango. 

The dress she was wearing looked like it was made for her. The pale blue brought out the color of her eyes, and the dress draped elegantly down to her ankles, where they met with a pair of silver sandals.

"No pressure at all," Kagome said, more to herself than to Sango. "It's only my last hope at having at normal life again at stake here!" Involuntarily, she thought, 'If I don't get this job, then it's the streets for me.'

Sango looked at Kagome sympathetically.

Kagome walked slowly through the grand palace halls. 'What I wouldn't give to live here!' she thought. 'Even suffering being with Inuyasha would be worth it!' She soon found herself standing in front of a glazed wooden door labeled DINING HALL.

Taking in a deep breath, she opened the door.

Kagome had never seen such a large dining area.

A long table covered in a royal blue table cloth sat in the middle of the spacious hall. Candles held in gold and silver chandeliers lined the middle of the table.

Kagome lifted her eyes from the table to see five figures sitting at the other end. Four girls had placed themselves as close to a scowling Inuyasha as possible.

"You're late, bitch," the hanyou announced, smirking at Kagome. Secretly, he was relieved that she had come. 'It'd get so boring without someone to make fun of,' he thought. 'The fact that she gets pissed off so easily makes it even funner to insult her!'

"My name's Kagome," Kagome said coldly. "Not bitch."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Inuyasha said. "I didn't notice the difference." The girls around him glared at the newcomer who was hogging all of the prince's attention.

Kagome watched in disgust as the girl she recognized as Kagura threw her arms around Inuyasha's neck. Kagome took a seat next to a girl with short brown hair.

The girl had a pale, almost paper white face, and was looking at Inuyasha hungrily, smacking her lips every now and then.

Kagome raised an eyebrow.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome as she sat down. _'She looks beautiful,' _he couldn't help but think. _'What the hell? Where did that come from?' _he demanded of himself. _'Kagome's a bitch,'_ he reassured himself. _'Why?' _a little voice in his mind asked.

Inuyasha looked around him. Kagura had tangled her hands into his hair, something that greatly annoyed him, but he didn't say it.

The happy-go- lucky wench, Rin, was smiling as usual, and Kanna, the normally emotionless wench, was looking at him with a hungry kind of lust. 'Looks like she wants to fucking eat me,' Inuyasha thought. Inuyasha couldn't name the other girl. He had let Miroku randomly pick that girl, because he hadn't remembered the names of any of the other girls.

The random wench was eyeing him dreamily.

Then there was Kagome. Inuyasha watched as she ate her food. How did she resist him? It was unnerving.

* * *

  
  
Kagome swallowed the last of her dinner. The food had been delicious, but no one had spoken at all during the feast. She couldn't help but feel uncomfortable in the silence. Suddenly, Inuyasha spoke. 

"Since you're all done with your food," he began, capturing the attention of all the girls at once with his voice. "I guess I'm choosing my girl now."

Kagome frowned. He made it sound like he owned them. Inuyasha watched with interest as Kagura gave him a seductive smile, Rin fidgeted nervously, Kanna looked at him with absolute hunger, Kagome watched almost indifferently, and the other girl... fainted.

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows, smirking. _'I can't stand the damn cheeriness, so Rin is out of the picture,' _Inuyasha reasoned. _'Kanna creeps me out, and I can't have that girl fucking swooning every time she sees me. Hmmm... Kagura or Kagome. Pleasure or Bitch.'_

"Kagura..." he said at last.


	3. The Maid

AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm glad that my first fanfic is getting good comments! This will keep the story going, because I know it's being appreciated! Thanks!

* * *

The Maid 

Kagome felt numb as she found her way to Sango's room. 'He chose Kagura,' she thought. The little bit of hope that she had been holding on to had been snatched away. 'He must be some sort of sex addict or something,' Kagome decided. 'That would explain why he chose Kagura...' Sighing, Kagome couldn't help but wonder. What would happen after her month of living in the palace was up?

Would she be on the streets?

Kagome knocked on Sango's door, still pondering her previous thought. Sango slid the door open, and upon seeing her friend's weary expression, she knew.

"He... chose another girl?" she guessed.

"What else could you have expected?" Kagome said, exasperated. "It's not everyday that people insult the PRINCE like I did to him."

"Inuyasha needs someone to talk back to him once in a while, though," Sango said. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Kagome said, not wanting to bring her friend into depression with her. "I just thought I'd tell you is all," Kagome said. "I guess I'll go sleep, now. It's late." Kagome turned around and headed for her room.

Sango looked at her friend with pity. "I'm gonna kill Inuyasha if he kicks her out, even when the month of visiting is up," she decided. 

* * *

Inuyasha watched, amused, as Rin, without a smile for once, helped the emotionless Kanna support the girl who had fainted out of the room. 

"Inuyasha," Kagura said in a sing-song voice. She bent forward onto his chest, connecting her lips with his. Inuyasha hardly noticed. All he could think about was the troubled look the Kagome girl had left the room with. 

It had seemed as if her eyes were glazed over. She had looked so... disappointed. 'Her eyes can hold so much emotion,' he realized. 'Something Kikyo was never capable of.' 

"I don't need that stupid bitch," Inuyasha muttered, hoping to clear his mind of Kagome. 

"Hmmm?" Kagura said in a sugary voice.

Miroku chose that moment to walk in. Seeing the scene before him, he smirked. "Already, Inu? First second alone with her and you start fucking with her."

Inuyasha was suddenly aware of the position he was in. Kagura was actually on top of him. Prying her off, Inuyasha stood up. 

"Whatever," he muttered. "I'm gonna go sleep."

Seeing Kagura get up also, Miroku shot Inuyasha an unnerving smirk.

"You really can think of nothing else, can you?" Inuyasha said hopelessly. "I'm not gonna sleep with her, Priest." He walked off, cursing. Kagura trailed behind. 

When Inuyasha reached his room, he collapsed on his bed. Something - or rather, someone, landed beside him. Turning over, Inuyasha found him face to face with Kagura. He jumped off his bed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha demanded, face red.

"Yashy?" Kagura asked uncertainly. 

"I'm not your fucking Yashy shit," Inuyasha grumbled. "And by the way, you are no longer my maid. You're fired. I'll keep in mind that next time in an interview I'll ask if the girl has a problem with keeping her hands off me, first. You are disgusting, ya know? You almost made me lose my virginit-" Inuyasha stopped dead. 'I did NOT just say that,' he begged silently. 

"What?" Kagura murmured, getting up. 

Inuyasha snorted. Obviously the girl was a bit thick. "You are fired," Inuyasha spelt it out. "Get out of my room, now, PLEASE," he said the last word in a forced manner. 

"B-but, Yashy!" Kagura started crying. 

Inuyasha muttered, "Is that all you can say? Yashy? I'm sorry babe, but you're fired. You can still tell all those little friends of your's back home that you made out with the prince, yeah?" he hoped that would work. 

Kagura paused her crying. "Y-yeah, I guess," she managed. She finally had seen that it was no use arguing. She got up, and walked slowly towards Inuyasha. Her expression was unreadable. 

::SMACK:: 

"What the fuck was that for?" Inuyasha glared at Kagura, a hand to his face.

"Bye, honey. I'll miss ya!" Kagura said in her sugary voice. With that, she stormed out of the room.

After a while, "Hey, Inuyasha!" Miroku's head popped through the door. "What's with the crying babe back there? She just stormed off!"

"I just fired her," Inuyasha shrugged, indifferently. 

"What?" Miroku almost choked. "But you just chose her?"

"So?" Inuyasha argued stubbornly. "She couldn't keep her hands off of me."

"Can't stand the attention?" Miroku smirked. "Since you're done with her can I-"

"No! You and that slut together? You'd be at it every few seconds like rabbits!"

"No one understands me," Miroku grumbled. "Oh yeah, you still need a maid, Inuyasha. You know how your mother is. She's not gonna change her decision. She thinks you need looking-after." Miroku smirked.

"Okay, well what choices do I have?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"Well, all the girls who had come earlier for the interview have left," Miroku said. "Except one."

"Well?"

"Her name's Higurashi. Higurashi Kagome." 

* * *

Sorry, this was a short chapter, but that seemed like such a perfect place to stop! 


	4. Sweet Servitude

Wow! This is my fourth chappy! Of my first fanfic! Yea! Well, hope you enjoy it! And thanks to those readers who reviewed!  
  
* * * *  
  
Sweet Servitude  
  
:knock: :knock: Kagome groaned as she struggled to get up. It was too early! Dragging herself to her feet, she went to open the door.  
  
A grinning Miroku stood in front of her. Kagome groaned even more still. Trying to open her eyes a bit more, Kagome was suddenly aware that Miroku's gaze was a little two down south of her face. 'Funny,' Kagome thought. 'I'm sure I'd remembered my face to be a little higher up.' She grumbled sleepily to herself. Following Miroku's gaze, it took Kagome a moment to realize that he was staring at her chest. Just before his hands reached her...  
  
"HENTAI!" Could be heard in the hallway. Sango ran out of her room in a hurry, arriving in time to reprimand Miroku.  
  
"Didn't I tell you not to harass my friends?" Sango demanded.  
  
"Sango dear!" Miroku exclaimed. He pulled her into a swift embrace, then kissing her on the lips. Kagome was surprised that Sango didn't pull away immediately. When she did, her face was as red as a tomato.  
  
"Get off of me," Sango managed to say, still blushing furiously.  
  
"I came to tell Kagome that she's Inuyasha's new maid, now," Miroku smirked, obviously he'd enjoyed his moment with Sango. He'd enjoyed her reaction even more.  
  
"WHAT?" Kagome and Sango yelled at the same time.  
  
Miroku winced at the loudness. "Kagura was fired," he shrugged.  
  
"I can stay here then!" Kagome exclaimed. "I'll get paid, too! I won't be living on the streets!" She could barely contain her relief.  
  
"That's great, Kagome!" Sango congratulated. She was happy for her friend.  
  
"Oh, and Inuyasha wants you to go to his room right now," Miroku informed Kagome. When Miroku saw Kagome's blush, he smirked.  
  
"I have to change out of my night gown first then," Kagome said. With that, she hurried back to her room, leaving Sango to rush away as well, her blush returning. Miroku eyed Sango with interest.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Er, Miroku said you wanted to see me?" Kagome said as she entered Inuyasha's room.  
  
"Hmmm," was all he said in reply. There was an awkward silence.  
  
"And, um, why, did you want to see me?" Kagome prompted.  
  
"I have clothes that need washing," Inuyasha answered in a bored voice without looking at her. "Over there." He pointed to his bed, where a pile of ragged clothing lay crumpled together in heap. Kagome was about to protest, when she remembered. 'I'm his maid,' she thought. 'I have to do stuff like this for him.'  
  
Kagome found a laundry basket lying in a corner of the room, wondering why on earth Inuyasha didn't use it. Sitting on his bed, Kagome began to sort through the clothes. Since that uncomfortable silence had returned, Kagome decided to fill the emptiness by talking through the sorting. -_-;;  
  
"Red haori, dark colors," Kagome began. "White shirt, light. White boxers with red hearts? Hey Inuyasha, would that be considered dark or light colored? The hearts are dark, but..." Kagome looked up. Inuyasha was standing before her, his face an interesting shade of puce. He snatched the boxers away.  
  
"Okay," Kagome said. "Someone's on PMS."  
  
Inuyasha shot her a look that could kill, his golden eyes a deeper shade of fiery orange. Kagome was awed by the color of his eyes. They were capable of so much emotion, if only Inuyasha would let it show...  
  
"What are you staring at?" Inuyasha demanded. Seeing Kagome's surprised look, he knew she'd been in a trance staring at him. He smirked.  
  
"You have such beautiful eyes," Kagome told Inuyasha truthfully. She watched Inuyasha's reaction with interest. Wasn't his face just a bit paler than that?  
  
"Beautiful?" Inuyasha managed to growl. "You make me sound like a fucking girl!" With that, he turned around to sit back in his chair, his hand still closed around the heart boxers. Kagome arched an eyebrow. But she couldn't help but be envious as she watched his long mane of silvery white hair flow past her. It was in tangles. If only he took care of it...  
  
"Can I brush your hair?" Kagome offered.  
  
Inuyasha snorted. "I wouldn't let a dirty peasant girl like you even touch me. Bet you'd like to get your hands on my sexy body, though, wouldn't you?"  
  
Kagome felt anger bubbling up her throat. "What the hell do you mean by that? If I was a dirty peasant girl then why did you hire me in the first place?"  
  
Inuyasha frowned. He'd just been playing with her. How could she get pissed off so easily? Well, he refused to back down. "Well, you were the only girl left. All the others had gone home. So I had no choice."  
  
This seemed to make Kagome if anything, even angrier. "A last resort, am I? I'm worth more than you are, asshole!"  
  
"Well actually," Inuyasha scowled. "I'm really worth more than you are, cause if you haven't noticed, I'm the prince? Gonna become king some day?" That did it for Kagome.  
  
Kagome walked to Inuyasha, palm raised. Just as she was about to smack him hard across the face, Inuyasha snatched her hand. Kagome scowled. Why oh why did he have to have fast reflexes?  
  
It was Inuyasha's turn to bitch now. "I'm sorry if you can't take a joke, bitch, but you'd better think twice before you try that again. You wouldn't want to get me mad. I'm hanyou, if you haven't noticed."  
  
Kagome struggled to wrench her hand from Inuyasha's grasp, but to no avail.  
  
"What would you do to me?" Kagome demanded. "Kill me, Inuyasha?" she asked daringly. Kagome knew he wouldn't do something so dramatic, but she couldn't keep herself from saying it. Somehow she knew bringing up death would be a weak spot for Inuyasha, which was what she was trying to do. She looked up at the hanyou. His golden eyes were a bronzish color, looking distant.  
  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome said quietly. Maybe she'd pushed it too far. "What are you-"she was cut off as she felt herself being crushed against Inuyasha's chest. Really confused now, Kagome could only think how much she didn't want this. Suddenly, she felt something soft push against her lips. She opened her eyes wide. Prince Inuyasha the jerk was kissing her, eyes closed. He'd pushed her against a wall by now, and Kagome was beginning to feel uneasy. She wasn't strong enough to push Inuyasha away.  
  
"Kikyou..." Kagome heard Inuyasha mutter softly, now kissing her along the neck. Kagome felt her heart tighten up.  
  
* * * *  
  
Sorry, this chapters really short, but this seemed like such a good place to leave off! I'll write really soon, though. 


	5. Kouga's Entrance

SORRY to all Kikyou haters. I don't like her either, but in this story she's gonna be mentioned a couple of times. But she's dead already, if that makes it any better...  
  
* * * *  
  
Kouga's Entrance  
  
She had to stop this. Inuyasha was trailing kisses down her neck, his hands running along her sides. But Kagome couldn't help but feel hurt... Inuyasha thought she was Kikyou... And doing this to her...  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome had to shout. It had to end. Surprised by the sudden outburst, Inuyasha loosened his grip on her for a moment. That was all it took. In two seconds Inuyasha found himself on his rear on the ground.  
  
"Hey, what was that for, wench?" he grumbled as he shot Kagome a glare. Kagome held the glare despite the red tinting her cheeks. It took Inuyasha a while to register into his mind what had just happened between the two of them. His face darkened in color considerably.  
  
"Care to explain?" Kagome asked, struggling to control her temper.  
  
"..."  
  
"Well?" Kagome put her hands on her hips. "You just sexually harassed me and you don't have a single word to say?"  
  
"..."  
  
Kagome huffed. Did she have to spell it out for him? "Who is Kikyou?" she demanded. "And what does she have to do with me?" she added as an afterthought.  
  
Inuyasha stiffened. "That's none of your business," he said quietly.  
  
"Well it's becoming my business. I need to know Inuyasha," Kagome prodded, her tone softer now, as if talking with a small child. "A minute ago you were kissing me to death and muttering Kikyou in my ear! Don't you think I DESERVE an explanation? If I'm gonna get sexually harassed I might as well know why!"  
  
At last, Inuyasha relented. "You look so much like her," he grumbled, not looking at Kagome. "And when you said those words..."  
  
Kagome finally understood. So Inuyasha had mistaken her for his lover... Or former lover more like. It was clear that something serious had happened between Inuyasha and this Kikyou girl. Inuyasha's eyes looked so painful when talking about her.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Kikyou?" Sango asked. "I know a little about her. Why?" Kagome sat down on Sango's bed.  
  
"Inuyasha was all over me and –"Kagome began, only to be interrupted by Sango's gasp.  
  
"All OVER you?" Sango shouted, eyes wide.  
  
Kagome quickly added, "While moaning Kikyou's name in my ear, yeah."  
  
Sango lifted an eyebrow. "Kikyou, eh? Well, I've only been working at the palace for a year, so I don't know a lot... But I've heard the cook gossip around the other servants. Kikyou was Inuyasha's girlfriend two years ago or something."  
  
"Well, obviously," Kagome rolled her eyes. "He was smothering me while calling Kikyou's name."  
  
Sango continued, "I also heard Kikyou's dead. She died two years ago, just two months after meeting Inuyasha. And the cook says that Inuyasha and Kikyou... They were in love."  
  
As Kagome thought on this, the door opened. She muttered, "Hey Miroku."  
  
"Er..." Sango's voice was quiet. "Lady Ayame!" At this Kagome looked up. The queen was in the doorway, clearly puzzled by Kagome's name for her... Kagome got up. What was she supposed to do now? Curtsey? Say 'Your highness?' She settled for a curtsey.  
  
"So you're Inuyasha's new maid?" Lady Ayame's voice was pleasant. "Look up, dear." Kagome lifted her head. For some reason, Lady Ayame's expression blanked out for a second upon seeing Kagome's face. 'Must be about Kikyou again,' Kagome thought.  
  
"I'm Higurashi Kagome, Your Highness," Kagome managed to say humbly.  
  
"Oh, you can just call me Lady Ayame," the queen said kindly. "So has your family been informed that you are now staying at the palace, child?"  
  
Kagome replied, "I don't have a family anymore."  
  
Lady Ayame shook her head sympathetically, "I'm sorry to hear that. Make yourself at home here, all right? If Inuyasha troubles you, tell me. That boy... Ever since his father's death years ago... His bringing up's been rough."  
  
Kagome held her breath. She'd heard of the king's death when she was a little girl. But she'd had little sympathy to spare, as Naraku had killed both her parents around that time as well. Kagome sighed. She couldn't think about her parents' death without dipping into depression.  
  
* * * *  
  
Inuyasha paced restlessly around his room. 'What the hell have I done?' he asked himself. He couldn't describe the mixture of feelings he had right then. He could scarcely believe that he'd actually kissed Kagome... He didn't think of her that way yet! ... Or did he? Inuyasha managed a growl of frustration.  
  
He had taken Kagome for Kikyou... And he had seen a look of disappointment and hurt in Kagome's blue eyes. But those words she had said... Almost as if daring him to kill her... Inuyasha shook his head. It seemed once she'd said those words, he had slipped into a trance. Suddenly, it was Kikyou's face and not Kagome's, and Kikyou's lips that spoke : "Are you gonna kill me, Inuyasha?"  
  
At that point, he'd utterly broken down. He just couldn't stand it anymore. Taking Kagome as Kikyou, he poured out everything he thought he owed her. But Inuyasha couldn't block out the little voice in his head that reminded him, 'You knew Inuyasha... Part of you knew it was Kagome you were kissing... And you enjoyed every moment of it.'  
  
Inuyasha finally stopped his mindless pacing to drag himself into his bed. Lying down, he couldn't stop the thoughts pouring into his head... How soft Kagome's lips had been... And her sapphire eyes, capable of so much emotion... Something Kikyou had lacked...  
  
* * * *  
  
"RISE AND SHINE!"  
  
"ARGHHH!" Kagome growled as something small and furry pounced onto her stomach. Opening her eyes, she found a small boy, looking about three or four years old. He had a fluffy tail behind him, something Kagome had never seen on a kid before. "Awww... a squirrel boy! You're so cute!" Kagome squealed, sitting up and amusing herself by squeezing the life out of the little kid.  
  
"Let go of me!" the boy protested. "I'm not a squirrel boy, either! I'm a kitsune," he added, proudly. "My name's Shippo! Sango told me to 'wake up Kagome.' You are Kagome, right?"  
  
"Yes," Kagome answered, absentmindedly petting Shippo's tail.  
  
Suddenly -  
  
"Kagome!" Sango rushed into the room, out of breath. Her hair was down; obviously she had just woken up.  
  
"Thanks for the wake up call, Sango," Kagome said sourly, gesturing to Shippo, who scowled.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Sango brushed that off. "Guess what?"  
  
Kagome guessed, "Chicken butt?"  
  
Sango rolled her eyes at her friend. "Inuyasha's getting crowned king tomorrow, since he's reached the age (seventeen btw)!"  
  
"Good for him?" Kagome offered.  
  
"The day after he's crowned, he's going on a vacation/celebration sort of thing," Sango took a breath, "and we get to tag along for free!"  
  
"That's great!" Kagome exclaimed. 'I sooo need a vacation...'  
  
"Oh, and one more thing," Sango smirked mischievously. Uh-oh, don't like the sound of that! "In youkai tradition," Sango explained, "when a youkai, or hanyou for that matter, gets crowned king, his mate is supposed to carry the crown up the aisle and give it to the priest, who then does all the vows of loyalty to country and stuff. Since Inuyasha doesn't have a mate yet, you'll be doing all the things his mate would have to do... So you'll be acting as Inuyasha's mate for the day. Cause you're his PERSONAL maid and all..."  
  
"Oh yeah," Sango added. "Then there's that kiss you have to give him..." Kagome's eyes narrowed. "...On the forehead," Sango completed.  
  
"That's not so bad, I guess..." Kagome muttered.  
  
"Oh yeah, and I got permission from Lady Ayame," Sango said excitedly. "We can go to the attire room, where they've got all sorts of clothing. You'll be sure to find something suitable to wear for the coronation there!"  
  
* * * *  
  
Sango was right. Kagome stared in wonder as she stepped into the ::hall:: of attire. Clothing of all kinds was on display; it was like at the mall, but a lot fancier. Formal attire for men, women, children, everything was there...  
  
Kagome found her eyes on a lilac evening gown. It was such a beautiful dress... Simple, but breathtaking. Kagome stepped forward and touched the fine silk fabric the dress was made of.  
  
"Are you gonna get that one?" Sango asked, noticing her friend lingering in one spot.  
  
"Yeah, I think so," Kagome replied. "What about you? Did you find one yet?"  
  
"I think I'll try this one," Sango said. "What do you think?" She'd chosen a dress of forest green velvet. It had a golden sash at the waistline, giving it a European look.  
  
"It fits your skin tone," Kagome commented. "It looks great!" Sango smiled.  
  
* * * *  
  
The coronation assembly was titanic. (I've always wanted to used that word! ^_^) The assembly hall was crammed with people. Kagome was surprised a walking aisle had been possible.  
  
"You sit in the back over there," Sango told Kagome loudly, trying to override the many other voices in the hall. "Cause you have to walk up the aisle later. See that bald man there? With the frown? That's Myouga. He'll give you the crown. He's holding it for you right now."  
  
"Er, okay," Kagome said. She was just a little nervous. She'd never participated in something as important as a coronation before, and she was afraid of messing it up.  
  
"I'll be over there," Sango pointed a few rows back, "if you need me."  
  
"With Miroku?" Kagome stated dryly, sending her friend a smirk. Sango blushed, and then hurried off.  
  
Kagome made her way towards Myouga, who looked just slightly on the unfriendly side. When she reached him, he scowled at her. Kagome scowled right back. So much for good manners. "Hey, do you have the crown?" Kagome asked. "Cause I need it." At the look on Myouga's face, she added, "I have to bring the crown up to Inuyasha later."  
  
Myouga snorted. "Are you Prince Inuyasha's mate?" he asked doubtfully.  
  
Kagome blushed slightly, much to her embarrassment. "Um, no," she began, "but Inuyasha doesn't have a mate yet, so I have to fill the role for today." Myouga looked suspicious. "I'm his maid," she added. That seemed good enough for the old man, who handed her a wine colored velvet pillow that was cushioning a golden crown.  
  
Kagome looked at the crown in awe. It was intricately designed with war scenes. It seemed every line was refined with a needle. Suddenly, Kagome noticed that the hall had quieted down quite a bit. Looking around to find out why, she saw Inuyasha, clothed in a suit at the front of the hall.  
  
Kagome caught Sango gesturing for her to walk up the aisle. Blushing, and obviously realizing the assembly must've been waiting a while for her entrance, she stumbled inelegantly into the narrow aisle. Straightening up her dress, she started to make way towards Inuyasha. To relieve herself from nervousness, Kagome focused her eyes on Inuyasha only, blocking everything else out. Somehow, that helped a lot.  
  
Walking up the two or three steps onto the stage, Kagome thought she heard something brush against her. Ignoring it, she looked at Inuyasha. The priest standing solemnly to the side accepted Kagome's offer of the crown. Inuyasha knelt down on the velvet carpet.  
  
"From this day forth you are the servant of your country," the priest began in a monotonous voice, "Your loyalty belongs to your country. Your priority will be your people...."  
  
Kagome tuned him out.  
  
When the priest was done with his speech, Inuyasha said, "I accept." Kagome watched as the priest lifted the crown out of its cushion and placed it on Inuyasha's head. Kagome stared. Inuyasha looked so hot and strong with that crown on! Somehow she felt it was the time for her kiss.  
  
After the priest had retreated to the side, Kagome walked over to where Inuyasha was now standing. Blushing slightly, she planted a chaste kiss on his forehead. As she backed down, she giggled, on finding Inuyasha's cheeks to have tinged pink as well.  
  
"You bastard!" a voice suddenly yelled. Everyone turned to watch as a boy wearing strange armor coated at the shoulder with fur appeared before them. His long black hair was wound up in a ponytail, and his eyes were narrowed at Inuyasha. In a flash, he was by Kagome's side, pulling her into a tight embrace.  
  
"Kouga?" was all Kagome could say. "What...?"  
  
Inuyasha watched the scene. So Kagome already had a lover... 


	6. Broken Heart

Broken Heart

Kouga was holding Kagome protectively, as he glared at Inuyasha, who scowled right back.  
  
"I don't remember inviting you to my coronation, wolf shit," Inuyasha growled. His golden eyes were a darker shade than usual. He saw Kagome in Kouga's arms.

"I didn't come to see your damn coronation, dog turd," Kouga snapped. "I came for MY Kagome. I didn't think even you'd be so low as to take another man's woman as your mate." Then, turning to Kagome, Kouga asked, "Did he hurt you? How could you let him make you his mate?" Kagome raised an eyebrow.

Inuyasha's face was red. "She's not my mate, dumb shit! Don't just jump to conclusions!"

Kagome put a hand to her head. Kouga jumped to conclusions all the time.

Kouga looked utterly confused. "She's not...? But everyone knows that in a youkai coronation... the mate is supposed to carry up the crown...?"  
  
"Inuyasha doesn't have a mate," Kagome said dryly. "So I had to fill in." She tried to gently pry herself from Kouga's grip. Kouga took no notice, and held her just as tightly.

Kouga smirked, as if back on a subject he understood. "So dog turd here can't get himself a mate, eh? Figures."

"What the hell was that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha roared.

Kagome watched as both men glared at each other. "Oh, let's all have a staring contest," Kagome muttered. "Real mature."

Suddenly she realized that everyone in the entire hall was watching them. 'It's time to end this,' she decided.

"Um, Kouga?" she said softly. Kouga averted his gaze to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry, but about you and me, I don't think it's gonna work out."

Inuyasha snorted triumphantly.

Kouga glared at him. "Whaddya mean? Of course i'll work out!" he protested. "You're my woman," he added, as if that solved everything.

"What if I don't want to be your woman?" Kagome asked, beginning to get annoyed now.

"I understand."

"Really?"

"It must be that time of month, eh?"

"WHAT?"

Inuyasha broke into laughter. He doubled up and landed on his rear on the floor.

"Well, Kagome," Kouga said seriously. "I'll come back for you soon. I'll make a note not to come around this time of month. Ya know, to give you time to work your feelings out."

"WHAT?"

Kouga had already gone.

Kagome turned her head furiously to the laughing Inuyasha. Fortunately, the 'audience' was leaving. Kagome's face was heating up rapidly. "INUYASHA!" Kagome kicked him lightly. He was still laughing.

"Hey! What was that for, wench? For once I agree with that wolf shit. You really must be on PMS!" Inuyasha smirked, getting up.

"No, I'm not! Shut up!" muttered Kagome.

"Kagome!" Sango and Miroku had both come on stage.

"Who was that?" Miroku asked, smirking at Kagome.

"Ugh, Miroku," Kagome sighed. "He's just a childhood friend."

"Who calls you his woman?" Inuyasha burst out.

"I don't know," Kagome said, confused. "He called me that from the first moment he saw me, when we were both ten years old."

"You've known him for that long?" Sango asked, wide-eyed.

"Yeah," Kagome replied. "He suddenly appeared in my town one day, and -"

"I'm gonna leave now," Inuyasha muttered. "I don't really wanna stay to listen to the love story of the bitch and wolf shit."

"What's with him?" Kagome asked, as Inuyasha walked off. "Is he on PMS, too?"

"Sounds like someone's jealous," Sango sang out.

Kagome looked shocked. "No way! He has no reason to be jealous of Kouga! I mean, he hates me, right?"

No answer.

"Whatever," Kagome muttered. "Well, I'm gonna go see what's up with him." She said something like 'impossible' under her breath.

Sango soon noticed that she was alone. With Miroku. Uh-oh.

"Sango?"

"Hm?"

"Did you really mean what you said earlier?"

"About what?"

"I asked you if you really thought badly of me. You said yes."

Sango looked at Miroku. Really looked at him. His dark eyes, his funny expressions. 'Wait, what am I thinking here?' she thought. 'This is Miroku.'

But this was not the first time that Sango had found Miroku to have taken something she said to heart. It was almost touching... But this was Miroku. And that made everything just an act... right?

* * *

"Um... Inuyasha?" Kagome had found her way to Inuyasha's room, during her 'thinking.'

"Hm." was his response.

Kagome pushed the door opened slowly, and invited herself in. She was more than surprised at what she saw. Inuyasha was sitting on the side of his bed, somewhat in the middle of thinking. It was rare that Kagome saw him really concentrating on doing that.

"What's up?" Kagome asked softly. "You seemed sorta pissed off when you left."

"Well I'm sorry if I upset you," Inuyasha snapped sarcastically. He glanced at Kagome. Her eyes suddenly looked so concerned. He just wanted to reach out and wrap her in his arms. More to make him feel secure than her.

"Inuyasha? Are you okay?"

"I will be, if you leave me alone, wench."

"What?"

"I said, get the fuck out of my face, bitch. I don't need you hanging over me every second."

"Jerk..."

"GET OUT! Can't you see? If you just fucking got out of my life, everything would be so much better."

Kagome felt tears rising into her eyes. 'I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry,' she thought bitterly. 'But just as I thought I was starting to know him...' Kagome walked out of the room, a slight limp to her step.

Inuyasha watched her leave, his chest feeling unusually tight. 'I can smell her tears,' he thought. He felt like a cruel monster by making her cry. But he knew that if he hadn't said what he'd said, he would've become powerless to stop himself. He would've been unable to contain the feelings going through him.

There were so many things that he had to protect Kagome from. But the one he need to protect Kagome from the most was... himself. When he had seen Kouga so close to Kagome, he had feel such anger as he had never felt before.

He could not let history repeat itself.

* * *

Kagome buried her face in her pillow. 'That jerk...' she thought to herself. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing. 'How could he have said the things he did?' His voice still rung in her head like and echo. Kagome broke into sobbing.

"Hey, Kagome!" Sango entered the room. "I was wondering where you - WHAT HAPPENED?" She hurried to her friend's side.

Kagome raised a tear stained face to look at Sango.

"It's nothing," Kagome mumbled, as tears continued to make their way from her eyes to the pillow.

"You're crying," Sango stated the obvious. "Something's wrong. Is it Inuyasha?"

"Don't tell him I'm crying," Kagome begged.

Sango swore under her breath. "What did the asshole do?"

"Sango, just don't ask. I really need to be alone for a while. Please?" her eyes looked pleading.

"All right," Sango finally gave in. "But if you need help on getting revenge, tell me."

Kagome forced a small smile. She watched as her friend walked out of her room, closing the door behind her.

Kagome thought to herself, as she felt tears tickling her eyelashes, 'Why am I crying? It's not like I'm not used to Inuyasha's insults. But this time, he had sounded so serious... Does he really hate me that much? Just when I'm beginning to like him."

Kagome pictured his fierce golden eyes, his long silver-white hair, his strong embrace that time... Kagome wished that Inuyasha had whispered her name instead of Kikyo's then... She had felt so safe in his strong arms. She felt comforted by his mere presence beside her.

And at times she even felt that she would do anything for him...

Inuyasha's impression of her suddenly seemed incredibly important.

'Is this love?'

* * *

The morning came too early for Inuyasha. He thought back on the last evening's meeting with Kagome. 'What made me say those things?' Inuyasha couldn't help but remember how hurt Kagome had looked when he had told her to get out of his life.

He hadn't meant it. Inuyasha sighed. He just didn't want Kagome to go through everything he had... Kagome was innocent... She deserved better than what... Kikyo had been through...

'Is this love?' he wondered. 'Or lust?' He was afraid he was just seeing Kagome as a replacement for Kikyo. 'Kagome deserves better...'

"Hey," a quiet voice drifted into his room, breaking his train of thoughts.  
  
"Hey," Inuyasha replied, seeing Kagome approaching his door frame.

"Can I come in?" Kagome asked timidly. Inuyasha mentally kicked himself. What had he done to the lively Kagome?

"Yeah," Inuyasha answered. He watched as Kagome carefully walked inside, looking weak all of a sudden.

'She's been crying all night,' Inuyasha realized with mounting guilt.

"Um," Kagome began.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," Inuyasha said at last, obviously with effort.

"Oh..."

"..."

"You don't need to say sorry."

"..."

"I just wanted to know... Did you really mean all that you said yesterday?" Kagome's look was probing.

"..."

"It's okay if they were. I can handle it," Kagome said quickly, making to leave, taking Inuyasha's silence as a yes.

Suddenly she felt strong arms envelope her form. Inuyasha was pulling her towards him. Kagome felt tears brimming her eyes. She allowed herself to relax against his chest. 'This feels so right,' she thought.

Gradually, Inuyasha pulled her face closer to his. Kagome closed her eyes as her lips touched his. At the contact, Inuyasha felt his heart tighten.

'No...' he thought. 'I don't want to hurt her. She doesn't have to end up like Kikyo...' He pulled away.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean to do that." He walked out of his room, leaving Kagome to think to herself.

Kagome felt her heart break.


	7. Going on Vacation

Angie or NG coughangelacough - Thanks for your 'ever so polite' way of asking me to update! I quote : "get your lazy ass up and UPDATE more." shakes head sadly - I get no respect from my friends... I KNEW i never should have told you my penname, angela! JK

To Rhapsody's Song - Thanks for your suggestions. I went back to chapter 2 and changed the eye color of Kagome to brown. And I saw your profile. I watched 'Xiao Shiyi Lang' before, too! It's a good movie!

Everyone - THANKS for your reviews! I appreciate it. Was last chapter too emotional? kinda sorta?

* * *

Going on Vacation 

"KAGOME!"

"WHAT?" Kagome shouted groggily back at Whoever. Opening her eyes forcefully, she saw her waker-upper.

A little squirrel (or fox?) boy had entered her room, and was currently standing in the doorway, a gleeful look on his face.

"Yes, Shippo?" Kagome asked wearily. She had wanted to sleep in a bit, after what had happened... last evening... She didn't want to think about it.

"Start packing your things!" Shippo exclaimed excitedly. "We're going on vacation!"

"Oh," Kagome remembered. "The 'celebration' vacation thing for after Inuyasha's coronation. That's it, isn't it?"

"Yup," the squirrel boy replied energetically. "We're gonna go to Shikon Island. It's a tropical place a little ways west."

"Oh," Kagome answered, her spirits rising a little. "Good. 'Cause I sooo need a vacation!"

"Well, we're all leaving in half an hour for the boat," Shippo informed her. "So hurry up with the packing!"

"HALF AN HOUR?" Kagome cried. "Why didn't you tell me all this earlier?"

"I would've," Shippo explained, looking sorry. "But I was eating ice cream!" he looked as if that would justify everything.

Kagome groaned. "Whatever. You go run along, 'kay? I'll see you later."

"Okay!" Shippo left, "I'm gonna go see the boat."

Kagome sighed. 'What to pack?' Her eyes drifted to her bed. She lifted her pillow.

A glistening necklace was uncovered. A strange and beautiful purple jewel was strung alongside with a train of smooth rocks.

"Mother's necklace..."

* * *

"Damn it!" Inuyasha said, not bothering to say it quietly, as Kagome boarded the boat. Kagome shot him a glare. 

She silently dared him to continue what he was going to say.

"I had hoped that you would get yourself stuck in the toilet or something," Inuyasha confessed. "Then we could leave without you."

Kagome said nastily, "Better luck next time, honey." Inuyasha imitated a flinch at the word 'honey.'

Kagome looked in awe at the large craft she was in. It was so... impossible. Everything about it looked new, perfect, and... rich.

"It's a ship used only for luxury," Inuyasha remarked, smirking at Kagome's widened eyes.

"Kagome!"

Kagome turned around. It was Sango. Miroku was just behind her, a red hand mark across his face.

Kagome shook her head. 'What did he do to deserve that this time?' she thought.

"Hey Sango!" Kagome replied cheerily. "Hey Miroku!"

Miroku acknowledged her with a painful nod. Obviously Sango's slap still stung.

"Have you been below deck yet?" Sango exclaimed. "It's like a house!"

"I just got here," Kagome said, seeing Inuyasha from the corner of her eye. "Luckily, too. That strange asshole over there was about to tell the captain to start the boat and leave. I'm gonna make his vacation a living nightmare!" she exclaimed joyfully.

Inuyasha grunted to show that he had heard, which of course, was exactly what Kagome had wanted anyway.

Miroku cocked an eyebrow. "Not exactly getting along, eh?"

Kagome sighed in answer. "He is so frustrating, sometimes! And by the way, what happened to you?"

Miroku automatically touched a hand to his face.

Sango's face took on an annoyed expression. "I had to discipline him for his perverted thinking," Sango explained. "Not good for a priest."

"Sango!" Miroku protested. "I only asked you if you would be my roommate for this trip!"

Kagome made a very unladylike snort. "I'm sure that was all you had in mind, Miroku," she said sarcastically.

"Lunch is being served below deck," a servant had come to inform them.

"And I just now realized how hungry I was," Miroku said, avoiding responding to Kagome's earlier remark.

"Dress appropriately," the servant tipped them. "It's a formal dinner."

"Don't bother, Hojo," Inuyasha's voice was cool and smooth. "Especially for that wench," he pointed rudely at Kagome. "She's got nothing appropriate to wear." The servant, Hojo, looked at them all strangely, before leaving.

"Well, in that case, I can go without appropriate clothing!" Kagome retorted angrily. Then, stopping, she muttered, "I didn't mean it to come out that way."

"Oh sure," Inuyasha replied arrogantly. Kagome's face flushed. She stomped off.

Sango looked wearily at Inuyasha. "Don't tempt her too much, your majesty," she warned. "She can get pretty scary."

"Whatever," Inuyasha muttered. "It's just too fun getting her pissed off. There's no way in hell I'm gonna give this up."

"Just watch your back, sir," Sango warned.

"Don't talk to me with all that formal shit," Inuyasha grumbled. "It sounds so..."

"It doesn't fit you," Miroku smirked.

* * *

Kagome had retreated to below deck. Just like Sango had said, it was like a house. There was a hall where all the guest rooms where, and each door held a plate of gold, just like at the palace. Kagome randomly selected a room for herself. 

Flinging the door open, she surveyed the room. It was pretty big, and similar to the rooms at the palace. 'Kinda plain,' Kagome thought. She sat on the comfortable-looking bed. It sank slightly beneath her.

Suddenly, her stomach grumbled.

"Shit! I forgot I was supposed to get ready for dinner," Kagome remembered. No matter how much she hated it, she also realized that Inuyasha was right. She did have nothing elegant enough to wear to the formal dinner.

Seeing a closet across from the bed, Kagome wondered, 'Maybe some girl left a dress behind from before?' she thought hopefully. Usually she wouldn't ever wear the clothes of someone she had never even known, but she was desperate this time.

She slid open the closet door to reveal that there were actually a lot of clothing displayed there. Rummaging through the clothes, Kagome finally found a formal dress. And it was the most beautiful gown she had ever seen. Really, not even the dress she had worn to Inuyasha's coronation could compare.

It was of a silvery hue, and had some sort of shimmering quality to it.

She didn't even bother to think about why an entire wardroble of clothes had been left behind when she slipped into the gown.

* * *

"Where's Kagome?" Miroku mentioned as he and Sango approached the table where Inuyasha was scowling. 

"Well, seeing as she never gets anywhere on time," Inuyasha explained in a bored voice. "She's probably working on being 'fashionably late' again." He said the last statement somewhat sarcastically.

"She's coming now," Sango commented. Inuyasha looked in the gestured direction.

Indeed, Kagome was entering the room, looking around at the big room, slightly out of breath. What caught Inuyasha's attention was her dress. It shimmered beautifully around her figure, and made her every step seem elegant.

"Hey," she greeted them.

"Hey, Kagome," Sango returned the greeting politely. "Come on then, guys, let's start eating. I'm starving."

"Me, too," Miroku muttered.

Inuyasha was silent.

Which was very strange for him.

Kagome pretended not to notice.

Finally he snapped out of it. "What made you wear that ugly dress?" he near snarled.

Kagome rolled her eyes at him, then said slyly, "You didn't seem to think it so ugly just a second ago when you were staring so intently at me."

"Feh, whatever flips your boat, bitch."

* * *

AN: Do you like the story so far? Should I continue it? 'Cause for I while I was thinking about discontinuing this story. 


	8. Poisoned

Hm... haven't updated this for a while... sorry. I've just had a really busy week with finals and all that great stuff. Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate it!

* * *

Poisoned 

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"We're here!" Shippo cried happily, jumping into a large mound of sand.

'Here' was a wide shoreline, carpeted with a vast expanse of golden sand, twinkling like crystals. The ocean's waves crashed gently onto land, spraying all bystanders with a shower of frosty saltwater.

"It's beautiful," Kagome whispered, watching the fiery red sun's reflection in the aqua water. "But," she took a quick glance around. "There doesn't seem to be much people around here."

She heard a snort, and whipped around to glare Inuyasha square in the face. _'You'd think becoming a king would compel him to be more polite,'_ Kagome sighed with frustration.

"It's a _reserved_ island," Inuyasha said meaningfully, as if that explained all. Seeing Kagome's comprehending look, he said exasperatedly, "I _own_ this island. _Nobody _lives here. This is _my _holiday home."

Kagome's eyes widened impressively, earning a smirk from the king.

Suddenly, Miroku came up from behind them and bopped Inuyasha on the head. "Hurry up!" he commanded. "I want to come back to the beach _some_ time today," he added, when he thought Inuyasha was paying attention. Inuyasha hardly spared the monk a glance whilst punching him.

"Well, he's right," Sango offered, causing Miroku's eyes to twinkle. "If we don't hurry up and get our things to the inn we won't be able to come back to the beach before dark."

"The beach..." Kagome murmured. Yes, now was when she could finally relax. _And forget everything that had happened to her._

* * *

"Took you long enough," Inuyasha grumbled in Kagome and Sango's direction. He spared a glance towards them. Kagome was wearing a bikini top and beach shorts, both a sapphire blue, with a pale yellow flower print. 

"Stop staring," Kagome commanded, although she felt her own eyes lingering on Inuyasha's bare chest.

Inuyasha snorted, "Feh. There's nothing on you worth looking at."

Kagome turned a deep shade of red, matching that of a tomato.

"You JERK!"

Sango whirled around quickly. Upon seeing Kagome slap Inuyasha square in the face, she winced slightly. "That looks like it hurt," she decided, not bothering to restrain the grin that was spreading on her face. "He probably deserved it, though."

"Deserved what?" Miroku piped up beside her.

Sango gave him a sugary smile, "Something you will be getting if you don't take your hand off my butt NOW!"

Miroku shrunk back a little, but otherwise didn't change his position.

::SMACK::

"And you'd think he'd learn," Sango muttered to herself, leaving behind a writhing Miroku. She flicked dust off her black one-piece swimsuit.

Sango walked over to Inuyasha and Kagome, only to find both of them with child-like angry expressions on their faces, Inuyasha stiffly sitting back in a chair, and Kagome seated on the ground, silently brushing sand this way and that with her fingers.

"Oh please," Sango rolled her eyes. "You two are so immature. What happened this time?"

"Inuyasha's being a jerk," Kagome spoke first.

"Well, _that's new_," Sango said sarcastically.

"Hey! What do you mean by that?" Inuyasha growled. "If you don't learn to respect me then I could have you burned to death for all I care."

Sango flipped her hair back carelessly, "And then everyone would see how cruel you were and there would be a revolution, ending with your beheading."

"Feh."

"Don't use that word!" Kagome said in annoyance, shaking her head. "It sounds so uncivilized." After a moment, she added, "And it's really annoying."

Inuyasha turned on her, his face expressionless. "Who are _you _to be saying things like _uncivilized_?" he snapped. "Last time I checked, it was you who arrived on my doorstep with your clothes nearly torn off you. Doesn't sound exactly _civilized _to me, madam," he challenged, a smirk approaching.

Sango shook her head. Inuyasha got over things fast. That was one thing he was good at. That and pissing people off.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the hanyou. "Why?" she asked in a bare whisper, and Inuyasha was surprised to find that her expression had softened, looking slightly hurt. "Why do you only do this to me? Do you hate me?"

Inuyasha had never been one to be great at comprehending emotions, and so he said the first thing that came to mind. "It's fun to make fun of you, wench." It made sense to him.

Sango slapped a hand to her forehead. _'Well, that was the wrong thing to say.' _"I'll be tanning over there if you need me," she said, gesturing a place a few meters off. _'It's too tense over here,'_ she added to herself.

Sango walked off towards the direction she had implied.

For a while, an uncomfortable silence hovered over the area where Inuyasha and Kagome were sitting.

Suddenly, there was a loud buzzing noise.

Kagome winced, and averted her eyes sharply to her arm, where a passing insect had bit her. But the pain it inflicted on her made it feel much worse than a simple bug bite.

Inuyasha noticed Kagome's eyelids droop drowsily suddenly, and saw her slowly lose her liveliness. _'What's wrong with her?'_ he wondered.

"Let me see that," asked Inuyasha, who, to Kagome's surprise, was crouching on the sand next to her.

"It's just a bug bite, it's nothing," she insisted.

Inuyasha took Kagome's arm anyway, and his grip was soft. She could feel his strangely long nails brush against her skin.

"Shit," he muttered, causing Kagome to look at him.

Inuyasha looked troubled, and he was examining her arm carefully.

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked hoarsely.

"There's a strange smell mixed in with your blood," Inuyasha said, looking at Kagome gravely. "This isn't a regular bug bite. You were bitten by a Saimyoushou."

Kagome wrinkled her brow in confusion. "And what may that be?" she asked, trying to keep things light. But it frightened her how serious Inuyasha suddenly sounded. _'Not like his usual self...'_

"It's a kind of insect created by someone by the name of Naraku," Inuyasha said, oblivious to the way Kagome sat up sharply at the sound of the familiar name. "You have something Naraku wants," Inuyasha said, slamming his fist into the sand. "Shit..."

"_I _have something he wants?" Kagome said uncertainly.

"And when the saimyoushou bit you," Inuyasha explained, avoiding contact with Kagome's eyes. "It left some of its poison running in your blood."

"Poison?"

Inuyasha suddenly looked very tired. "Yeah, you only have until sunset to live, at the longest."

Kagome's face turned pale. Inuyasha studied her out of the corner of his eyes as the color drained from her face.

_'Well, I feel like shit now for telling her,'_ Inuyasha slammed a fist into the sand.

"Is something wrong?" Miroku asked cheerfully, walking over, clearly surprised by the odd silence.

"She just got bitten by a saimyoushou," Inuyasha said, his voice weary.

Miroku's eyes widened. "But that means she'll...?"

Kagome felt tears prick at her eyes. The air suddenly seemed so stifling.

* * *

AN: This was a short chapter. Sorry, I promise I'll update soon. REVIEW PLEASE! 


	9. Sacrifice

Sacrifice 

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Kagome sucked in a deep breath, and found that even doing that was painful. Her vision was becoming blurred, a sign of just how fast the poison was coursing through her bloodstream.

She was faintly aware of Inuyasha crouching down beside her, brushing her perspiration-stained hair away from her eyes. "Stupid girl. You're not dying out on me," he said, but his voice sounded distant.

Kagome gave him a weak smile, upon seeing the concern carved on his face. _'He's worried about me,' _she thought, a surge of warmth filling her chest. _'Inuyasha... __Thank you.' _

Biting her lip, she felt another surge of pain fill her body. It was like a thousand needles were pricking mercilessly at her skin, the agony was just so great.

"I'm getting a doctor," Miroku called as he hastily turned to walk away.

Inuyasha growled in frustration. "You know that won't help. No doctor can treat a saimyoushou's bite. Even Myouga would only be able to keep it from effect for a few hours. Naraku, that fucking bastard!" The hanyou slammed a fist into the sand, causing an upheaval of dust. His face was contorted in a mixture of anger and disgust.

Miroku slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Doctor Myouga is currently at the palace," he reminded. "Days away."

"She got a strangely large dose of poison," Inuyasha observed, eyes focused on Kagome, unconsiously placing a hand gently on Kagome's forehead. "Must've taken Naraku days to create the saimyoushou that bit her - eh!"

Kagome had grabbed one of the hanyou's clawed hands, and was squeezing it with every ounce of her strength. Her face was a ghostly pale, and she looked drained of energy.

"Kagome..."

"Inuyasha," she barely gasped out. "I don't want to die..."

Inuyasha took one look at the girl panting in pain before him, and growled angrily, "You're not going to."

"I'm already..."

Inuyasha felt a surge of fear fill his chest. He glanced at Kagome's pale face, which had once been full of life and color.

_'I can't let this happen to her.' _

He momentarily envisioned Kagome's warm smile. That was already enough reason for him to the extent that he would risk anything to keep her by his side.

Tracing a clawed finger carefully along the length of the girl's arm, Inuyasha searched for the injury inflicted by the deadly insect. When he found it, he cut a small wound on his own lips, before pressing his bleeding lips firmly to the wound on Kagome's arm.

Miroku watched in silent horror as the hanyou proceeded to use all his power in sucking the poison out of the injured girl. It was an unpleasant sight, but it somehow made sense to Miroku. The years he had spent living in among a company of youkai had taught him a few things.

He remembered eavesdropping on the conversation Lady Ayame had presented a younger Inuyasha with after his human uncle passed away, victim to a saimyoushou's poison. This had been the first death the young prince had been exploited to in his life, so he was terrified.

**[Flashback]**

(A younger Inuyasha, perhaps only eight or nine years old, sulked unhappily in a corner as the queen entered the room, her burgundy hair messily escaping from its clasp.

"Oh, Inuyasha," Lady Ayame sighed, tears brimming her eyes. She pulled her son into a tight embrace.

"Wasn't there any way that he could've been saved?" the young prince demanded, tears pouring down his face. He wiped them away hastily, unwilling to appear too emotional.

Lady Ayame hesitated a bit before replying, as if pondering whether Inuyasha was old enough to hear what she was about to say. Voice trembling, the queen said slowly, "There's only one way a human can live after a saimyoushou's bite. I say human, because a youkai would survive a saimyoushou's bite anyway, because their blood is intense enough to melt the poison."

The young white-haired prince looked up at his mother, listening intently.

The queen continued, "Remember when your father told you the story about the creation of the saimyoushou?" Without waiting for an answer, she went on. "Well, the saimyoushou was made with a lust for blood. So, once its poison enters the bloodstream of one person, there is only one thing that can attract it, or lure it, into someone else's body. And that thing is denser, more compact, blood."

Lady Ayame watched Inuyasha carefully. He seemed to be following. So she continued.

"A youkai's blood is less diluted and denser than a human's blood," she explained. "But even a youkai's blood by itself is not enough to suck the saimyoushou's poison from another person's bloodstream. However, when a youkai's blood is emboldened and strengthened by an emotion that is pure enough and willful enough - only then will the saimyoushou's poison be drawn from its victim's body and lodge itself into the bloodstream of another. And the only emotion that can fit the description pure and willful, is love."

"Then wouldn't the person who lured the poison into their own blood, die?" Inuyasha asked.

"No," Lady Ayame replied. "Of course, to be able to draw the poison from its victim in the first place, the person would have to have youkai blood within them. And as I've told you, youkai blood melts the poison. No harm would come to the youkai."

Inuyasha stood up, an angry look on his face. "Why didn't anyone save uncle, then? Since it could have been done?"

Lady Ayame looked sad. "Remember, the poison cannot be lured out without love. Only someone who was in love with your uncle could've saved him. In other words, only his destined soul mate. Unfortunately, your uncle hadn't met that special person yet.")

**[end]**

_'If Inuyasha can lure the saimyoushou's poison from Kagome's body into his own, then that means they are destined soul mates,' _Miroku thought. _'And the fact that Inuyasha's sacrificing himself for Kagome...'_

In all his years of growing up with the hanyou, he had never known him to be sacrificial. Or, for that matter, even sympathetic. _'But then, of course, with Kikyo...'_

Inuyasha opened his eyes in exhaustion, and leaned back from Kagome's arm, disconnecting his lips with her skin, although he had felt the desire to linger a little longer. Mentally kicking himself for the thought, he glanced at the girl. It was now that he became only too aware of how skimpily the girl he had been leaning over was dressed.

Inuyasha felt a dark blush creep up his neck as he brushed some stray strands from Kagome's face.

She had gone unconscious.

Inuyasha suddenly remembered that he wasn't alone with Kagome, and quickly snatched back his hand from her face. He glared in the monk's direction. Had he seen everything?

Miroku was in a state of semi-shock.

"What are you gaping at?" Inuyasha growled, although it was half-heartedly. He was drained of most of his energy, to be honest.

Miroku really couldn't snap back, seeing as how his friend had just completed such a noble task. The silence was broken abruptly by the appearance of Sango, who hastily rushed to Kagome's side as soon as she saw the scene.

"What happened?" she demanded of the two boys, an accusing look in her eyes.

Miroku replied, as Inuyasha was too weary to do so. "Kagome was bitten by a saimyoushou, and Inuyasha just sucked all the poison out of her," he said simply.

Sango found this hard to believe, especially since she couldn't find a memory in her mind in which the monk had said a whole sentence to her without a perverted remark or suggestion. But when she whipped her head around and saw the blood lacing the corner of Inuyasha's lips, she drew in a deep breath.

"Inuyasha..."

Everyone turned their gaze abruptly to the source of the voice, Kagome, who was steadily regaining consciousness.

Kagome sat up weakly and captured Inuyasha in a tight embrace, much to the surprise of everyone.

"I was so scared," she whispered softly, leaning up to whisper in Inuyasha's furry ears. "Thank you... for what you did."

"Feh," the hanyou replied gruffly, turning red, but there was the tiniest hint of appreciation in his voice. _'She was awake that whole time?'_ he wondered, his face reddening still.

Kagome's face was very pink when she finally let go of Inuyasha. But she graced the hanyou with a bright smile.

Inuyasha felt his heart melt upon seeing Kagome's chocolate brown eyes twinkling with tears and happiness.

"So that's the way to a woman's heart," Miroku mused in the background, putting an arm around Sango. "When you ever need help, don't fail to ask me first, Sango dear. And when I'm done fixing everything up for you, you'll be even deeper in love with me!"

The said girl narrowed her eyes at the monk, though the tiniest of blushes was showing on her face. "If you don't take your arms off of me, I swear you won't be alive by that time," she whispered menacingly. Sango was about to go talk to Kagome, when the monk tugged softly on her sleeve.

"Leave them alone," he told her seriously. "They need time to sort out their feelings for each other."

"They don't have any feelings for each other to sort out," Sango said, confused.

Miroku grinned at the girl, "You really are naive, dear Sango."

"Not enough," Sango muttered, slapping the houshi whole-heartedly. "What do I need to do to make you stop groping me?"

* * *

Kagome reached out and touched Inuyasha's bleeding lips. The blood had stopped flowing, but she felt the need to touch him. _'Or perhaps, it__'s an excuse to touch him...' _Kagome blushed at the thought. 

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked the hanyou uncertainly. "You did just take poison."

"I'm a hanyou," the boy muttered in frustration. "Half youkai. I'll heal."

Kagome chewed her bottom lip nervously. "And you took a dose of my blood, you know. We probably have different blood types. What if you get a blood clot?" She knew the way she said it sounded ungrateful, but it was true.

Inuyasha growled, "It's not like I sucked your blood or anything. I just placed a wound of mine by your saimyoushou bite, and the poison came to me. So I don't have any of your blood mixed in with mine."

Kagome suddenly thought, _'If all he needed was an open wound, why did he choose his lips?' _

"It's getting dark," Inuyasha said uncomfortably, breaking the silence. "We better get back to the inn."

"Yeah," Kagome said softly. It was really late, and the sun had sunk long ago into the misted horizon. "Miroku and Sango seem to have already gone back," she noted. Inuyasha remained silent. Kagome glanced towards the hanyou, and her eyes widened.

"Inuyasha!" she gasped in shock.

* * *

AN: Confused? [sigh.] This chapter took me so long to write! Well, hope you liked it! Review! 


	10. Endless

* * *

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Kagome brushed Inuyasha's gleaming hair from his face, and uncovered his annoyed eyes. Violet. They were violet.

Blinking furiously, the girl dubiously confirmed that the man before her _was_ Inuyasha.

"Your hair, your eyes," Kagome said in a hushed whisper, catching a few of the hanyou's bold black locks in her fingers.

Inuyasha gazed out at the dark sky, lit only by shimmering golden stars dancing in it.

"Even your ears are gone!" Kagome exclaimed, slapping Inuyasha where his ears used to be.

"Eh, wench! What was that for?" the hanyou glared furiously at the girl before him.

She frowned. "You will tell me what happened to you, now," Kagome said, her voice menacingly quiet.

Inuyasha grumbled sarcastically, "Like hell I'm gonna do anything _you_ say." He turned his head stubbornly.

Kagome tugged roughly on the locks of Inuyasha's hair that she had in her grasp, pulling him towards her.

"Hey! Eh, stop that! Alright, I'll tell!"

Kagome looked satisfied as she released Inuyasha's tortured hair.

"Well?" she demanded, glancing at the hanyou through the corners of her eyes.

Inuyasha sighed defeatedly, and confessed, "There's something I've been keeping from you and the others."

"Well, _obviously,_" Kagome said coldly.

"Yeah," the hanyou continued somewhat nervously, "remember, I'm a hanyou. And that means I'm half human. So every month I turn human on the night of the new moon."

Kagome surveyed Inuyasha for a moment, as if daring him to be lying.

"How long does it take for you to change back?" she asked curiously. "To hanyou form, I mean."

"I have to stay like this until dawn," Inuyasha answered, with effort. Wincing in pain, he let out a gasp of surprise when a sudden dose of scorching heat shot through his whole body.

"What's wrong?" Kagome gasped, as Inuyasha suddenly crumpled into a heap on the ground. Panicking, she searched for a pulse on the hanyou's wrist. Biting her lip in relief when she found one, she averted her eyes to the rest of Inuyasha's body, searching for a wound.

"Don't bother," grumbled the injured hanyou, catching Kagome's hand in his own. "It must be the fucking poison. My youkai blood hasn't melted all of it yet. And now since I'm human, my demon blood has hid itself, and isn't in effect anymore."

"But then there's nothing to stop the poison from spreading in your body," Kagome realized, tears brimming at her eyes. "No... What am I going to do?" she sobbed, searching Inuyasha's dimming violet eyes for an answer. "You saved me, and everything was going to be okay, but now this... This is just an endless cycle, isn't it?" she asked the hanyou bitterly.

"Aw... Poor baby," a slippery voice slithered in feigned sympathy, jerking Kagome unpleasantly from her trance.

She flicked her gaze abruptly in the darkness, searching for the source of the voice. The voice that sounded so sickeningly familiar. It belonged to someone she was sure she did not want to remember... (You can probably guess who that is! )

"Wh-who are you?" Kagome whispered boldly. "Ow..." she muttered, rubbing her head, where something sharp had struck her.

"Ah... that's not important right now, now is it?" the oily voice replied. "Now, then, don't fret. I'll fix everything up, won't I? Yes, now you just need to take a nap, and when you wake up everything will be okay. Now, then, be a good little girl and go-"

Kagome strained her ears to hear the voice, but it became fainter and fainter, until it seemed to be just a mere memory in her mind. But that didn't matter anymore. In fact, nothing mattered. Kagome caught a last glimpse of Inuyasha, before giving in to her heavy eyelids.

* * *

"Sort out their feelings?" Sango muttered, wrinkling her brow. "Does that take this long?" 

Miroku paced silently along the width of the inn lobby, deep in thought.

"Were you lying to me?" Sango suddenly demanded, averting her eyes abruptly to the monk. "When you said that Inuyasha and Kagome were sorting out feelings for each other?"

"No," Miroku answered simply. Then, after a thought, "You know I would never lie to you, Sango dear."

"Oh sure," Sango said sarcastically, but she looked troubled.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," the monk said abruptly, "Where's Shippo?"

Suddenly, the door leading to outside flung open, and a small acorn flew in and hit Miroku square in the face.

* * *

Kagome slowly awakened, rubbing at the back of her head. Placing a hand on the ground to support her, she slowly pulled herself into a sitting position. She opened her eyes reluctantly, and was met with complete darkness. Blinking several times, Kagome realized that she was in a dark room of some sort. 

The floor was damp and felt clammy to the touch. Kagome spread a hand carefully on the ground, exposing herself to the iciness of it.

The coldness jolted her into reality. A man with a strangely familiar voice had done this to her. _'Done what?' _she asked herself in confusion. _'Oh, right. He brought me and Inuyasha here,'_ she remembered.

Right. Inuyasha.

Kagome fumbled uselessly in the dark, determined to feel her way to the hanyou.

A sudden groan revealed where he was.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed in a hushed whisper, crawling towards him. Bending over his form with squinting eyes, she could make out his rapidly paling face. He had gone unconscious again.

_'Since most of the poison has been melted away already, he will probably last a lot longer than I would have, under the influence of the poison,' _Kagome thought. But that thought offered little comfort. Kagome soon found herself sobbing her heart out, touching Inuyasha's cold hands gently.

"Awake already?" the sickening voice disturbed Kagome's thoughts.

Refusing to allow the man the satisfaction of hearing her cry, Kagome quickly wiped away her tears.

"I can smell them, you know," the voice said, a tinge of amusement showing. "Your tears. It's no use hiding from me. It never is. You should have learned that by now."

"Who are you?" Kagome demanded.

"You know who I am," the voice replied simply.

"No... I don't recall ever meeting anyone that makes me gag like you do," Kagome countered curtly.

The man gave a cold laugh. "Ah... Just like your parents, stubborn and, might I say, dim-witted to the extent that you don't know when to give in."

Kagome felt a rush of red flash before her eyes. Yes, the voice, everything... it matched.

"Naraku..." she said in a bare whisper.

The said man laughed icily, seemingly pleased that the girl had finally recognized him.

* * *

"What a strange-looking acorn," Sango muttered, brushing dust off of the little item. 

Miroku clutched at his forehead, where the acorn had struck him. "It hurts me that you're more concerned about an acorn than about me, Sango. It hurts deeply."

Sango shrugged his comment off, studying the small acorn closely.

"Hey, houshi," she whispered. "I'll bet it's not normal for acorns to have strange faces drawn on them."

"Strange faces?" Miroku paused from writhing in pain. He took the acorn from Sango, making sure that in the process his hand took a good rest on hers.

Just when Sango was shooting him a warning glare, he retrieved his perverted hands. Glancing at the acorn, he frowned. "Shippo's in trouble," he said seriously.

"What?" Sango exclaimed, bending over the monk's shoulder to look at the acorn. "How do you know?"

"Shippo has a whole pocketful of these," Miroku explained, pointing at the acorn. "When he's in trouble, he blows on one, and it finds the person with the name that he calls. It's a calling for help, you might say."

"How do you know all this?" Sango asked suspiciously. "You better not be making it all up."

Miroku shook his head. "Once, at the palace, when Inuyasha was beating him up again, Shippo blew on one of these acorns, and it flew straight to Lady Ayame. She came out, and pulled Inuyasha away from Shippo by his ear."

Sango couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"So now, Shippo is calling for help from us," Sango concluded. "We have to find him!"

"Where to start looking..." Miroku wondered aloud.

* * *

AN: Well, hope you liked it! Review please! Can I have 15? Or 10 at least? [puppy dog eyes] I'll wait for 10 reviews before I update, then! Thanks! 


	11. Past Tense

**I finally decided to update this fanfic instead of sitting on my butt all day doing nothing! Well, that makes me sound productive, doesn't it... **

**Kibethan - I get it! You got the idea for your penname originated from the bell, Kibeth, right? **

**FieryDemonFox - [sigh] I had forgotten about Shippo, too. While I was writing the previous chapter, I suddenly remembered... Shippo! So I somehow found a way to fit him back into the story. Hopefully it wasn't too obvious that I had forgotten about Shippo... [sigh]**

**Chibi-Manny - Yup, you guessed the Inuyasha-turns-human thing right and the poison thing too... [sigh] Is my plot that obvious? Hopefully not... **

**... I do a lot of sighing up there...**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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* * *

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Past Tense

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"It was you," Kagome barely made out, feeling ready to gag. Clenching her fists, she firmly attempted to suppress the memories of grief and pain bubbling inside of her. "You k- took them away." She couldn't bring herself to say the word 'kill,' as it would tempt the many painful memories inside her to come spilling out in waves of tears, and she couldn't afford to do that. Not in front of him. She glared coldly at the tall black-haired man before her, keeping her eyes wide to prevent any tears from coming.

"Yes, I suppose that would be me," Naraku said lightly, the oiliness of his voice making Kagome gag.

Suddenly, Naraku turned around and crouched down in front of Kagome, so that he was at her eye level. He lifted her chin up gently with a clawed finger.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, holding Kagome's chin between his thumb and forefinger to prevent her from escaping. Kagome felt bile rise dangerously in her throat as Naraku's cold breath prickled her skin. "Alike, quite alike," Naraku muttered, surprising Kagome with a spark of something that resembled softness in his eyes.

Kagome took the moment to aim a swift kick at Naraku's stomach, throwing him back.

The man narrowed his eyes at the girl, dusting himself off as he stood. "You would be wise to be more respectful of me," he sneered, encircling her. "After all, I have the life of your worthless friend in my hand." He kicked the motionless Inuyasha carelessly.

"Don't hurt him!" Kagome shouted, giving in to tears as she covered the hanyou's body with her own.

Naraku smirked. "Just as I thought. I do believe you will be quite cooporative, my dear," he said to Kagome, giving her a chilling feeling. Naraku went on, "You see, I have acquired the information that you are in possession of the Shikon no Tama." He watched Kagome's expression carefully. It did not change.

"The what?" she snapped, trying to think of a way to escape with Inuyasha.

Naraku closed his eyes in frustration. "Don't play dumb with me," he said in his oily voice. "I have my sources, and they tell me you do have the Shikon jewel."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but if you don't let me and Inuyasha go right now, I might be forced to do something I won't regret, but you might," Kagome warned.

Unfortunately Naraku just laughed unpleasantly, and bent down once again to look Kagome in the eyes.

She attempted to punch him in the face, but he dodged the blow.

"Quite the feisty one, eh?" Naraku taunted. "You're not like her after all. You're nothing but a cheap copy."

Kagome's brown eyes focused abruptly on Naraku's dark, almost colorless ones. "You mean Kikyo, right?" she demanded.

Naraku suddenly harbored a painful expression on his face, but it quickly faded into cold anger. "You have no right to be alive," he snarled, trailing a thin line of blood on Kagome's throat with his clawed forefinger.

The act came so suddenly, Kagome had no time to defend herself. To her relief, she found that the cut was minor. It stung painfully, though, causing Kagome to brushed a hand tentatively across the wound.

Naraku had stood up to his full height by this time. Pacing furiously, he spared a moment to glare in Kagome's direction.

"Years ago," he announced emotionlessly, "_I_ was king."

* * *

Sango unpacked a large boomerang and slung it over her shoulder expertly. The weapon measured almost to her height. 

Miroku watched the girl with awe, interest visible in his eyes. "Where did you get that, Sango?" he asked politely.

Sango shot him a wistful look. Her pained gaze met with Miroku's caring one. She found that she suddenly wanted nothing more than to just drown in his deep pools of violet.

Abruptly, she tore her eyes from his. "I-i need to go change," Sango said softly, her eyes shimmering slightly from prevented tears. "I can't go out now in my swim suit," she added, trying to keep things light.

Miroku looked carefully at Sango, attemping to comprehend the expression on her face. 'Was it... could it be pain?'

Sango's statement about changing jolted Miroku out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, I guess I should change too," he muttered. He began to pull off his swimming shorts.

"Argh!" Sango protested, blushing heavily as she attempted to shield him from view. "Warn me before you do that!"

"From what I can see of your face, I'd say you don't mind too much," the monk said with a smirk.

Sango muttered a row of curses before marching over to the perverted monk. She gave him a hard slap across the face before leaving the room.

Miroku touched the red mark on his face. He gave in to a small smile.

* * *

Kagome was stunned to silence. 

Naraku eyed her with a satisfied expression. "Yes, I was, and had been, king for many years," he continued, face darkening in lust as if reliving all the power he had attained in the past. Kagome felt the need to throw up on him. Bile was rising rapidly in her throat.

"I conquered most of the world a mere year after my coronation," Naraku said proudly. Kagome felt sick. All she could think of was how much blood Naraku must have shed. And he was proud of it... it disgusted her to no end.

"And then, twelve years ago," Naraku suddenly snarled. "An insolent general by the name of Inutaisho began a series of revolts against me. The people flew to him, mindless as they were."

Kagome slowly stood up from her sitting position.

Naraku was too busy in reliving his memories to notice. "Anyone with half a brain would support me," he seethed. He flicked his gaze to Kagome, a cruel smirk forming on his colorless lips. "That is why I destroyed your village, your parents included. They made the mistake of supporting Inutaisho. Believe me, though, there were many other villages that received similar treatment from me. And they all deserv-"

Naraku wiped a thin trickle of blood from his lips. Kagome had struck him across the face with all her strength.

"I'm a hanyou," Naraku sneered. "You can't hurt me. I heal." His paper white skin appeared undamaged, and there was no trace of blood left.

Kagome began to feel fear. She cringed with surprise as Naraku struck her with his superior strength. Kagome ended up sprawled on the floor, a couple of meters away.

"I didn't bring you here to have a pleasant talk about my past," Naraku snarled. "You are here to give me the Shikon no Tama."

Kagome wiped blood away from her face. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but whatever this Shikon thing is, I'm not giving it to you. It probably contains magic that you're going to use to become king again, and like hell i'm going to let that happen." She winced as she pulled a small shard of glass out of her elbow.

Naraku broke into cold laughter that chilled Kagome to the bone. "King?" he said scorningly. "That is beneath me. What I want, is ultimate power. And you will give me the key to achieving it." He held out a hand expectantly to Kagome.

"I don't know what the Shikon no Tama is, and I don't have it!" Kagome shouted as loud as she could. "Get that into your head!" She plunged the shard of glass into Naraku's wrist, hoping to render him unconscious from the pain. Naraku looked at the shard distastefully, and plucked it out, leaving his skin unbroken.

Naraku hit Kagome across the face, and kept his hand firmly pressed on top of her mouth. "Don't say any more," he said threateningly. "The only thing that keeps me from killing you is the jewel. You're hiding it somehow. I can't sense it at all. But although I can't kill you, I have no use for your friends."

Kagome bit Naraku's constricting hand with all her strength, although it disgusted her to no end to have to taste his skin.

Naraku released his hold on her, shaking his hand, wincing. He glared one more time at Kagome. "I have the only cure to the saimyoushou's bite that he suffers from, seeing as how I created the insect," Naraku told Kagome, nodding towards Inuyasha. "His time is fading." Naraku smirked cruelly at Kagome. "Believe me, you _**will **_give me the Shikon no Tama, dear."

With that, he turned around and left the room.

Kagome hastily checked Inuyasha's pulse. It was slowing dangerously.

* * *

**Did you like it? I suddenly had an idea for the plot of this story yesterday, and just thought I'd try it out. Review please! **


	12. Tears

**Hi! Hm… how long has it been since I updated this one? A few months… Sorry for the long wait! Hope this is worth it!**

* * *

.:Tears:. 

He was standing – or rather, floating – in a void of complete and utter darkness. There was nothing before him, and nothing behind him. There was no wind and not one wandering breeze. Everything was still as was possible to be.

Even his over sensitive ears could not pick up the slightest of sounds ruffling the frozen air.

And he found out soon enough that he couldn't move either. Panic rose in his chest rapidly, inwardly straining to shift his body even if slightly. But on the outside, he was as still as a statue.

He narrowed his eyes abruptly as a sudden outburst of noise disrupted his thoughts.

But in contrast to what he had expected, nothing and no one appeared into view. But the air… was shifting slightly.

Inuyasha gasped inwardly as he groped around helplessly – it was like he was stuck inside a statue of himself, as he could move, but his body would not.

Something had attacked him. He could feel the pain.

It felt as if a thousand needles had pierced into his body, making their way through his blood, and ultimately seeking his heart.

The pain was numbing, but the incredulity of it was worse still.

Unable to bear any more, staring down at where he felt tiny swords strike his skin, and seeing nothing there, Inuyasha screamed.

The moment his agonized cry cut through the air, he shut his mouth immediately.

He realized suddenly that he could speak. Which meant he could move.

Inuyasha stared down in confusion at his hands, realizing with relief that the pain was gone.

Suddenly, he felt something warm tingle his cold face. Inuyasha reached up and touched where he felt teardrops landing on his face.

It was strange – they smelled like…

Inuyasha frowned. He didn't remember her name.

He didn't budge the slightest as a warm tear rolled down his face to caress his lips.

Who was she? Inuyasha growled in frustration as he struggled to recall the girl's name.

"Ki…?" No, that wasn't it.

Just as he felt the familiar taste of _her_ lips grace his mouth, he smiled inwardly and outwardly.

He could remember who she was.

The girl who entered his dreams of her own accord.

* * *

Kagome crouched in a corner of the dark room, sobbing uncontrollably as she attacked Inuyasha's cold lips with her own. She wouldn't give up. Perhaps all he needed was a little bit of air. 

She was hopeful, even though she knew it was hopeless.

Ignoring the tears that streamed from her sapphire eyes to land gracefully on Inuyasha's face, sometimes mixing in with their kiss, the only thing Kagome could think of was to breath more air into Inuyasha's unconscious body.

When she felt a slight twitch in Inuyasha's form, Kagome feared that perhaps all her work was strangling the unconscious boy in some way.

She started to draw back, only to be pushed back in by two strong arms.

Tears of relief flowed out of Kagome's eyes freely as she sobbed into the deepening kiss.

When they were finally forced to separate for air, an uncomfortable silence dawned upon the two, as Kagome wiped away her tears, and Inuyasha supported himself into a sitting position.

He was the first to speak.

"You pulled me right out of my dream," were his first words. His voice was rusty from disuse.

Kagome wiped the last of her tears from her face with the sleeve of her blouse.

"And I suppose you were having quite a pleasant one?" she retorted irritably, suddenly annoyed at him because of all the fear and pain she'd been put through while he was dreaming happily.

"No," Inuyasha replied seriously, looking at her in the eyes. "Invisible swords were plunging into my body and slowly killing me."

Kagome abruptly turned her head to him. "The poison!" she nearly screamed.

"No," Inuyasha suddenly muttered. "Never mind. You can't be." He looked down suddenly, avoiding Kagome's gaze.

The girl stared at him. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded. Before he could answer, she jumped up, in frenzy. "Never mind that! We need to get rid of the poison first!" she said in a panic.

The only thoughts that roamed Kagome's mind at the moment was that Inuyasha was awake, and she wanted things kept that way.

She shuddered slightly as she felt two arms envelope her shivering form, offering her something to lean on.

Kagome cried into Inuyasha's still form, hugging his neck tightly, burying her face into his shoulder. She hung on for dear life, afraid of losing him.

"My demon blood won't return until sunset, when I transform into a hanyou again," Inuyasha started, as Kagome immediately clapped a hand over his mouth, surprising him.

"Don't say any more," she whispered, her voice weak and exhausted, tears framing her face and soaking her ebony locks.

Inuyasha watched in silence as Kagome offered him a small smile, before closing her sad sapphire eyes. It took him a while to realize that Kagome had fallen asleep in his arms.

He thought about how much he wished he could preserve the moment forever as he gently stroked the soft hair of the girl leaning into him.

Then he realized how fulfilled and calm he felt, knowing he could offer Kagome a haven for her sadness – that he could protect her in some way.

* * *

She felt as if she was in total bliss when she felt warmth and feeling returning to her body. She could once again sense the strong, muscled arms encircling her, and the warm breath tickling her neck. 

She was awake.

Kagome smiled with closed eyes, wanting to enjoy the moment a little bit longer. Falling asleep in the embrace of her love was the most romantic situation she could imagine. Especially being alone in this small room, with no one else to bother them.

Kagome's eyes snapped open with dread. She had nearly forgotten. She and Inuyasha were in a sickly little dungeon of Naraku's.

Kagome felt as if her heart was beating out of her heart. Perhaps Inuyasha had… died during her sleep?

It was the most probable thing to have occurred.

Tears spilling anew to wash away the stains of the old ones, Kagome forced herself to turn around and look at Inuyasha.

His eyes were closed, and his skin was paler than before.

Kagome nearly choked on her own tears before emitting a gasp of surprise.

Silvery-white hair draped across Inuyasha's shoulders.

He was a hanyou again. Did this mean…

Kagome pinched his face to test her theory.

His eyes snapped open.

"Eh! What are you doing, wench?" he growled at her, his voice muffled by the grasp of her nails on his face.

Kagome uttered a shrill cry of relief before throwing herself into the hanyou's arms. "You're alive!"

"Yeah," Inuyasha grinned as he looked down at his lengthened claws. "I'm a hanyou now. My demon blood will take care of the poison."

Kagome laughed suddenly, a sound pleasant to Inuyasha's ears, and something he hadn't heard in a long time.

"Everything will be okay now," he whispered, happy to be able to offer her assurance.

"Yeah," Kagome said softly. And after a moment of hesitation, "But there's just something I don't understand." Her voice sounded slightly nervous.

"Yeah?"

"What kept the saimyoushou's poison at bay before you became a hanyou again?"

There was a brief silence before Inuyasha replied, making Kagome think that he'd purposely been avoiding getting to that question.

But he did answer, soon enough.

"You."

Kagome pulled herself away from the hanyou, to look into his troubled golden eyes.

"Me? But how-"

Inuyasha smiled a little before looking away. "You're a miko. _Just like her_."

Kagome only heard the first part. "A miko? What's that?"

"A priestess with magical abilities. Your job is to purify evil demons. That's why you were able to keep the poison at bay. Although miko powers aren't strong enough to melt the poison, your purification powers still had an effect on the saimyoushou's poison, by keeping it from moving for a limited amount of time. But it was enough for me. So as long as I was in contact with you in some way, the poison would be rendered immobile."

Kagome bit her lip. She was certainly very happy and relieved that she had helped Inuyasha, but there was also a part of her that held resentment. She couldn't help but wonder if Inuyasha had embraced, offered that protection she'd felt with his arms around her, just to shield himself from the effects of the poison.

The hanyou's sensitive ears suddenly perked up as he turned his head abruptly towards the source of the noise.

A click followed the sound of a key being turned as the door of the small dungeon opened.

But it definitely wasn't whom they had expected.

A small bundle landed harshly on the ground a few feet away, but Kagome was too caught up in her own nightmare to notice that it was moving.

Unable to hold it back, she screamed and fell to the ground.

She had been staring into a strange, embroidered mirror, when her reflection suddenly changed into something else.

She had been viewing Inuyasha's bloody and painful death right before her eyes.

* * *

**What, or who is the bundle? Who just entered the room? What will happen to Kagome (of course, if you've read most of the Inuyasha series, you'll know who just entered the room and what will happen to Kagome. But not if I add a little twist!)? **

**Wow, I sound like a TV commercial.**

**First of all, I apologize if my writing is crappy today. I'm really tired, but I decided to update this story as I haven't in a long time. Hopefully it wasn't too bad. **

**Anyway, I realize I didn't write anything about Miroku and Sango in this chappie, but that's only because they just don't seem to fit in anywhere in this chapter. In the next chapter they will appear, though. **

**Anyway, hope you like it so far! Leave me a comment please! Suggestions are greatly appreciated (and needed). **


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